The Bombay High Court on Wednesday adjourned the hearing on the bail application of Aryan Khan, Munmun Dhamecha and Arbaz Seth Merchant, in connection with the drugs on cruise case, till tomorrow, even as Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB)’s Deputy Director General (Northern Region) Gyaneshwar Singh said on Wednesday that NCB Zonal Director Sameer Wankhede will remain the investigating officer in the case “until substantial information is found against him”.
“The arguments of lawyers of accused number 1, 2 and 3 have concluded today. The hearing is scheduled for 3 pm tomorrow for further arguments,” Munmun Dhamecha’s lawyer Kaashif Khan Deshmukh told the media after the conclusion of the hearing today. A special court in Mumbai had earlier refused to grant bail to Aryan and two others in connection with the seizure of drugs. Following this, Aryan Khan moved a bail application in the Bombay High Court against the NDPS court order on his bail rejection.
Former attorney general of India Mukul Rohatgi, who is appearing for Aryan Khan in his bail application in Bombay High Court, requested the court on Wednesday to go through the arrest memo again. He pointed out that at the time of Aryan Khan’s arrest there were no charges of conspiracy. Lawyers of accused Aryan Khan, Munmun Dhamecha and Arbaz Merchant concluded arguments on their bail applications before Bombay HC on Wednesday. Additional Solicitor General Anil Singh for Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) will respond to the arguments tomorrow.
The NCB had earlier invoked charges relating to possession and consumption of drugs and later also added the charges of conspiracy in the case. Senior Counsel, Amit Desai who is representing accused 2 Arbaz Merchant also questioned the charges of conspiracy by NCB. “If there was no conspiracy at that moment, how come conspiracy came later,” he asked.
A report from Mumbai said an NCB team, led by Gyaneshwar Singh, is in Mumbai to probe allegations of corruption levelled by Prabhakar Sail, a witness in the drugs-on-cruise case. Sameer Wankhede was questioned for about four hours on Wednesday as part of the investigation and he put forward “many facts before the team”. Gyaneshwar Singh said a five-member inquiry team of NCB on Wednesday started an investigation into allegations levelled by Prabhakar Sail through an affidavit.
“We requested the Southwest region office to get notice served to key witnesses K.V. Gosavi and Sail but they could not be contacted. Through media, I request them to join the investigation and give evidence before the special enquiry team which is camping at CRPF mess in Bandra, Mumbai,” Singh said.
“Sameer Wankhede was questioned today for about four hours. He put forward many facts before the team. If necessary, more evidence and documents will be sought from him. He submitted case related documents that were sought. If needed, he will be questioned further. He will remain the investigating officer in the drugs-on-cruise ship case until substantial information is found against him,” Singh added.
Meanwhile, responding to the document forgery allegation raised by Maharashtra Cabinet Minister and NCP leader Nawab Malik against NCB Zonal Director Sameer Wankhede, the latter’s father claimed his ancestors were Dalits. Wankhede’s father Dnyandev Wankhede said on Wednesday: “I am a Dalit… all of us, my ancestors are Hindus. How can my son be Muslim?” He further said, “I married a Muslim woman. My wife wrote her name as Zaheida Dnyandev.”
“If Nawab Malik continues to intrude in private space and disturb our privacy then we will have to file a defamation case against him,” he added. Malik had earlier accused Wankhede of using a fake birth certificate to secure his government job. He had shared the birth certificate of Wankhede on Twitter saying “Sameer Dawood Wankhede’s fraud started from here.” Following this Wankhede said he will fight Malik legally.
Wankhede had previously said that all the allegations are false and that he was being targeted and is ready for a probe into allegations against him. NCB on Tuesday also denied probing the anonymous letter received by Malik which he forwarded to NCB Director General SN Pradhan.
Sameer Wankhede’s wife Kranti Redkar on Wednesday said that Wankhede’s “nikah” had taken place and the marriage had been registered under the Special Marriage Act. Redkar said, “Nikahnama is correct. Nikah happened, but Sameer legally didn’t change his religion, caste. It was just a formality as my mother-in-law was Muslim and for her happiness, nikah happened. Birth certificate shared by Nawab Malik is wrong.” “By sharing our personal photos, Nawab Malik is acting against the constitutional oath he took. We will take legal action against him, an FIR has been registered. His only motive is to remove Sameer Wankhede from his post so that his son-in-law could be saved,” she added.
Earlier in the day, Maharashtra Cabinet Minister and NCP leader Nawab Malik posted purported pictures of the “nikah” of Sameer Wankhede. The NCP leader also posted a screenshot of the “Nikah Nama” of Wankhede with his first wife Dr Shabana Quraishi.